What I’m looking for on this thread are tips of things you’ve done or used to make your dieting or exercising efforts easier for example:

I use zip lock mini bags to make snack packs in portion sizes that fit into my individual diet plan and calorie allotments. They may consist of home made trail mix, vegetables, fruit slices, Beef Jerky, nuts etc… I don’t like to spend everyday in the kitchen and find if I have them already portioned out I can grab one quickly or keep a few in my bag which means I’m less likely to hit the drive thru.

Or since I get tired of just plain water and to much crystal light gives me a headache I put True lemon,True lime or True Orange packets in my water (you can find them at most grocery stores by the splenda)

And when I’m feeling tired and need a pick me up but don’t want to use caffeine I reach for a packet of what’s called Emer’gen-C , it comes in a variety of flavors, I like Cranberry, Orange and Tropical, it has 1000mg of vitamin C and others along with minerals. The ones I use have only 18 calories and 3.9g of carbs. I keep extras in my gym bag, purse and car. The product is by Alacer Corp and you can find them at most health food stores or go on line to TheVitaminShoppe.com and key in Alacer to see all the options (they have decent prices) It really does help wake you up and get you going especially on those long days at work or before or after a workout.

So what have you found helpful for you?

Sun. Jul 8, 7:13pm

Read restaurant nutrition info online before going out.

Frozen fruit and vegetables.

Shirataki noodles.

Bike to work.

Sunday, July 08, 2007, 9:13 PM

chew strong mint gum right after eating a sweet or meal. ! I uaslly will chew it with a cup of tea or coffe. I think the chewing helps

Sunday, July 08, 2007, 10:09 PM

Put your water in a pretty bottle that is measured and carry it with you. Camelback makes a great new fast access bottle..I have a pretty small purple one and a large green one.

Buy tiny bags for nuts, etc from the crafts store. They come in a huge range of sizes and they are really convenient for dividing up a bag of something after you buy it.

Bring survival food in your purse or travel bag..like a tiny bag of walnuts or a Luna bar...what ever gets you through. If you get stuck in traffic or delayed you won't have to stop somewhere and eat food prepared by someone else.

Try Ultima sport drink for minerals when you exercise. It has no sugar and it is a great replinisher. Tastes good too!

Sunday, July 08, 2007, 10:33 PM

1) Eat lots of vegetables. I don't count them into my calorie intake and they help immensely to fill you up. I like to "stirfry" a package of store-bought stirfry veggies with panspray, soy sauce, garlic powder, and some Mrs. Dash. You can eat a whole package of veggies prepared that way and it's almost no calories. Same with salad, make it the center of two meals per day and you'll save alot of calories that way.
2) white cheddar rice cakes with ff cheese-a good and satisfying snack for under 100 calories.
3) Light fudge bars-only 35 calories each.
4) Fruit-along the same lines as the vegetables: low in calories and filling. A peach, for instance, is only 38 calories
5) Plan ahead and for eating out and save the calories so that you don't go over at the end of the day. I have done this when going out to eat Mexican food and still lost half a pound by the next day.

Sunday, July 08, 2007, 11:44 PM

This is a little different (and maybe a little weird), but when I'm eating with a group of people I find the slowest eater and the person who puts the smallest portions on their plate, and I match their eating habits.
I drink water with every meal and re-interpret a food craving as thirst.

Monday, July 09, 2007, 12:46 AM

12:46

I like that tip, not only are you eating smaller portions, your eating slower and I think its a nice courtesy not to leave the slowest eater in the dust.

When I now I will be eating out, I try to eat a piece of fruit and drink a large glass of water before I leave the house and by the time I get to the restaurant I'm not as hungry, make better choices and don't tend to overeat as much.

Monday, July 09, 2007, 1:37 AM

eat on smaller plates
pour salad dressing to the side.. dip your fork in it than spear your greens ..less dressing is used
keep fresh cut veggies in the fridge so its easy to grab. baby carrots, celery hearts, cukes sliced, brocolli
use salsa and spices to season things or kick up the taste a bit.
keep fresh fruit. like grapes something you can just grab thats heathy
laughing cow light.. lower in calories than most dips.
use only skim milk. trust me your taste buds will adjust to it.
make smoothies when baking so your not tempted to eat your baked goods you made for others.
use only wheat bread.
experiemnet with other flours and grains. I have found gram flour good for coating cihicken.
fry light or pam.. less fat
use eggplant slices in place of pasta in lasagna
or zuchini.
put your fork down between bites
drink a glass of water about 10 minutes before you eat. will feel fuller and eat less.
start a three bite rule on desserts. after that three bites its mindlessly eating for me. saves calories and no guilt about trying a dessert.
eat popcorn with no butter or salt. you will adjust to the taste of natural popcorn instead of smothered in butter and salt.
if you eat out take part home with you. portions served today are huge. we dont need to eat the whole thing in one sitting.
freeze local fresh juices in icecubes so you can have them in your drinks without watering your drinks down.
search recipes.. get creative. I found out brownies can be made without flour. not a lowfat dessert, but something I occassionally will have .
explain to everyone arround you what you are doing so they can be supportive and not try to derail your efforts.
get off your bums and move.. no excuses. at least thats what I tell myself.
make a commitment to go to the gym or walk three times a week
do 30 minutes everyday of some sort of exercise for a month. after that month it will be a habit.

these have helped me lose alot of weight. hope that helps..
now I'm doing the fat smash plan and loving it.

if I can think of anything else I will post later

Monday, July 09, 2007, 5:07 AM

laughs that is low cal. not local juices lol

Monday, July 09, 2007, 5:08 AM

Everyone thank you for the great tips!!!!!

Monday, July 09, 2007, 11:36 AM

When eating out ask for a to go box upfront and put at least 1/4 of it in the box before you start to eat

Or better yet, split a meal, they are usually large portions and get and extra side salad

Always leave a few bites on the plate - you don't have to clean it

Make sure you leave as soon as everyone is done, if not you might start eating the rest while you visit!

Tuesday, July 10, 2007, 7:08 PM

Be number one

when you go out to eat always order first so you are not tempted to change your mind when your friends are ordering their meals.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007, 7:31 PM

When you're going to a restauant, if possible, go to the website right after you eat a meal earlier that day (when you're not hungry), and pick what you're going to have. When you get to the restaurant, don't even open the menu.

If that's not possible, when you get to the restaurant, open the menu and find something healthy. Then close the menu. The longer you spend pouring over the menu, the more likely you are to give in and get something unhealthy.

Always remember, it is not your last meal! Unless it is, in which case, eat whatever you want!

Wednesday, July 11, 2007, 10:29 AM

Exercise

Exercise for 20 min before you eat and it beefs up the metabolism

Wednesday, July 11, 2007, 3:42 PM

Before you go to the Grocery store - eat a piece of fruit and drink a glass a water and by the time you get there you're not as hungry and wont be tempted to eat or buy things you know you shouldnt - this also helps if your going out for dinner your less likely to overeat

Thursday, July 12, 2007, 7:07 AM

when eating out (or in, for that matter), take time to actually TASTE and FEEL each bite as you take it. You may have developed a habit of wolfing that food down, and if you actually pay attention to what it tastes like, feels like, and crunches like (or whatever), the advice to slow down while you eat comes more easily.

One of my big helps is to shop on Sunday, load up on fresh produce for the week, and do most of the peeling, chopping, slicing, etc., of the fresh veggies and packaging them into various containers for salads, stir fries, munching, steaming, whatever. Although I don't do a week of menu planning up front, I can usually anticipate the kinds of slicing/dicing/chopping/whatever will accommodate the kind of cooking I'm likely to do during the week. This gives me a ready supply of healthy veggies and takes away my temptation not to cook healthy if I I'm tired when I get home from work. The packets are also handy snacks if I hit the fridge during a munchie attack.